Thursday, October 27, 2016

Mumps in Vacinnated University Students (San Diego, California)

Two San Diego State University students have been diagnosed with mumps, despite both being up-to-date with mumps vaccinations. The two have recovered without needing hospitalization and are housemates living off-campus-- suggesting there is less chance the disease was spread to other classmates.

An increased number of mumps cases has been reported in San Diego this year: 19 so far, in comparison to the yearly average of 3 cases. Health officials are advising people to stay up-to-date with the recommended measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine schedule as the increased number highlights the disease being in the community.

However, as these students have followed the recommended vaccination guidelines, three questions remain outstanding: 1) which strain of mumps did the students fall ill to; 2) does this strain have increased virulence and is the vaccine unable to protect against it; and 3) where did the first student pick up the disease?